The Cincinnati Reds (49-56) fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates (47-60) 11-4 on Tuesday night at Great American Ballpark.
The on-field performances were something, but they were completely overshadowed in the top of the ninth when Amir Garrett charged the Pirates dugout as if he were storming the keep, leading to the latest Reds and Pirates fight. This story needs some setup, though.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, with Derek Dietrich at the plate, Keone Kela decided to remind him that the Pirates still aren’t happy about that really long home run he hit at PNC Park, and threw a fastball high and tight. The umpires, predictably, did nothing about it.
As the Reds came on to the field, in the top of the eighth, Joey Votto made his way toward the Pirates dugout and had a few words for Kela. Votto was demonstrative in his objection, so much so the umpire stepped in-between Votto and the Pirates. Bell then came out to talk to the umpires and seemed visibly upset. It didn’t take a lip reader to tell he was not happy that the umpires did nothing about Kela’s actions.
Some lingering tensions between the @Reds and Pirates have resurfaced.#BornToBaseball pic.twitter.com/lAqU9KPXAL
— FOX Sports Ohio (@FOXSportsOH) July 31, 2019
It was at this time that the umpires warned both benches.
In the bottom of the eighth, Yasiel Puig was unhappy with a strike-one call from home plate umpire, Larry Vanover. Many batters, from both teams, had taken issue with Vanover’s strike zone on the night, but Puig threw his helmet after the strike-one call. Protecting his guy, Bell sprinted from the dugout and had some very angry words with the umpire, who promptly ejected him. Puig remained in the game, and actually drew a walk.
David Bell has been ejected from the game.#BornToBaseball | #Reds pic.twitter.com/VI3a4hZCiC
— FOX Sports Ohio (@FOXSportsOH) July 31, 2019
Then came the ninth. Jared Hughes entered from the bullpen and plunked Starling Marte on his left leg. Due to the warnings issued, he was immediately ejected, and so was acting manager Freddie Benavides. Enter Garrett. He quickly recorded an out, but then allowed a two-run homer to Jose Osuna. He was able to record the second out of the inning before all hell broke loose.
Looking at what happened, Trevor Williams, in the Pittsburgh dugout, was saying some things that Garrett did not like. The scoreboard was already frustrating, enough, but whatever Williams was saying pushed Garrett over the edge. The acting-acting manager Jeff Pickler tried to go out to the mound and calm him down, but Garrett threw his glove to the ground, sprinted toward the third-base dugout, and attempted to land a haymaker that would have knocked Williams flat. He slightly missed, but did still take Williams to the ground.
It was at this point that Bell came running from the clubhouse, at Clint Hurdle, but was intercepted by a Pittsburgh assistant. They rolled on the ground for a minute, among the fray, before Bell was pulled up by some teammates. While they were holding him back, the camera got a great shot of him pointing at Hurdle and yelling “You’re a piece of $%&@!”
At this point Puig, who was reportedly traded to the Cleveland Indians in the eighth inning, was attempting to fight anyone in black and yellow. At one point there were five people trying to hold him back. Not that he probably was aware of this, at the time, but he was protecting guys who aren’t technically his teammates anymore. The reports on him, coming into Cincinnati in December, were absolutely false. He has been a model teammate, during his short stint here.
Here’s the video of the Reds and Pirates fight:
The Reds’ and Pirates’ benches have cleared. pic.twitter.com/za8hYc0zuX
— FOX Sports Ohio (@FOXSportsOH) July 31, 2019
The Reds did hit a few homers:
Joey Votto’s 150th homer at Great American Ball Park!#BornToBaseball pic.twitter.com/Zz3s39757i
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 31, 2019
Someone get the hair dye ready…#BornToBaseball pic.twitter.com/oXpyJjHuLY
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 31, 2019
Somehow, the Reds and Pirates have to play a series finale, tomorrow afternoon. It’s sure to be tense, and there will sure be suspensions.
-I’m going to miss Puig. The Reds needed a guy that played as passionately as Puig has for this team over the past 4 months. I’m happy to have Bauer but I don’t think Bauer’s going to put the team ahead of himself, I don’t think Bauer’s going to run for home from first to win a game, I don’t think he’s going to celebrate with the guys after a homer and I don’t think he’s going to spend time in the community. The deal makes our rotation look pretty wicked and we have enough depth in the OF to offset the trade but man oh man we don’t have the catalyst that Puig was on many nights this season.
They did what had to be done and I commend them for it. It’s not good that it was Garrett, I would have preferred someone else to show them we are sick of their nonsense. I just can’t believe the league allows Clint Hurdle’s team to intentionally throw at guys. It happens every single series. No other team does this. They hold silly grudges from two months prior. They are crazy and degenerate. I am so proud of Bell for going after Hurdle. I know he will be criticized by many for it, but really how can you witness these dangerous shenanigans and not lose your temper? I like the Bauer trade too, even though we are a huge longshot to win the division, but it gives us hope. The rotation is rock solid now and 2020 seems like a legitimate year to make the playoffs if they can solve the inconsistent offensive woes and patch up the bullpen.
I wasn’t able to watch this game, and it’s rare that I’ll watch one knowing in advance the outcome. And especially when it’s an unhappy one. But between Votto’s bomb, Puig’s last game as a Red, the shouting and shoving and emotion from Puig, Garrett and Votto, I was thinking about watching it any way. But if Bell came out of the clubhouse to tell Clint Hurdle what he really thinks? Just try to keep me from watching that! It’s still just one loss, and I hope the Reds suspensions are minimal. But I do like the fire in the 2019 Reds.
Post-trade, the Reds’ outfield situation is likely to be Senzel in center most days, with Winker and VanMeter on the corners against righties, and Ervin and perhaps Aquino on the corners against lefties. This is of course pending any additional trades, and Roark would have to be seen as likely to be traded in the wake of this evening’s deal.
They’ll have to make a 40 man move to bring Aquino up. Not that there isn’t plenty of guys who could go.
Agree Pete. There are four spots in the lineup for Senzel, Winker, Ervin, VamMeter, Aquino, Gennett and Dietrich. VanMeter should be starting every day. His natural spot is 2B. And Scooter and Derek are not the future of the Reds any more. JVM at second base every night for the next two months please.
Clint Hurdle needs to get his. This has been going on for years and MLB does nothing. David Bell is a rider I really like him as a manager.
Bell and Garrett (cotton too) are right to challenge the pirates bench rather than retaliate by throwing at the head of another player. If you like throwing at players, then Hughes handled it the best by hitting a guy in the thigh with an off speed pitch.
Retaliation against the pirates wouldn’t solve anything. Saw hurdles PC and he is trying to take the moral high ground by saying reds came over to bench an Hughes getting tossed.
Votto got AC’d into cotton. Blarg!
Votto got AC’d into cotton. Blarg!
Sliotar, would you rather have a manager that sat in the dugout with his legs crossed while the Pirates picked off our batters like snipers at a shooting range?
The only thing that sucked about this brawl was Puig taking on an entire team not realizing that the guys he’s fighting for traded him in for someone else.
I imagine the Bench Warnings will come pre-game so the first inside pitch would create an ejection.
The Bell/Hurdle animosity make the Baker/LaRussa relationship look like a love fest.
I think I would have rather had the 3 guys that the Padres sent to Cleveland for Trammell than Bauer.
Just look up Jerome Iginla Calgary Flames…
Wild horse rides off North… been fun but love the trade!
I agree with your analysis of the pitching staff and some of the other things that you mentioned but I do have a few exceptions:
– Suarez is down on average and OBP this year but it’s not that far off from other years. His average is down 2.5% But he’s killing the ball otherwise!
– I like Scooter but you also have Van meter and Senzel that are capable of playing the position. I’m not oppose to signing Scooter but I believe there’s a few other strategies that the Reds might think about thy could work as well or better than Scooter locking down 2nd. Let’s see how he performs in August before rushing to sign him long term.
– I love Votto, but I agree that he’s definitely begun decline. With that said though, he’s still Votto and that means a few things:
1. If any players going to figure out how to hang on and be vital a few more seasons it’s Votto
2. It’s Votto, he’s earned his place on this team and the Reds should find a way to slowly phase him out when it’s decided that he’s not productive enough to start.
3. Vottos stayed in the past that when he gets to the point that he doesn’t contribute to the team any more, he’ll retire rather than stick around.
– there’s not many options for a great offensive catcher. I’d love to have one but I’m also a bit old school in the thought that a catcher should help the pitcher control the game and protect the plate and bases first and a batter 2nd. In other words I’m not pressed on finding a catcher in a market that doesn’t have a great catcher available.
You forget we have 2 guys that can play 2B in the OF currently. One of them will be at 2B in 2020 unless Scooter wants to give the Reds a big home town discount to stay. Winker can also spell Joey more games at 1B.
I like your last sentence. It is interesting times in Redsland. Go on from the rebuild and bring the young guys up supported by strong starting pitching. What was needed is being done by the FO; stirring the pot. We’ll see what happens.
The suspensions handed down will be in the pointless length of 2-3 games for the most extreme fighters. If MLB really wanted to end intentional hitting and fights, they need to institute a mandatory minimum 10 game suspension for leaving the benches during a fight. If you actually fight, it will be a month.
I’m on a bit of a crusade to stop everyone thinking of JVM as an outfielder. He is a natural infielder, and because he’s athletic has handled LF pretty well when necessary. But he is not an every day outfielder. As Jim Walker has suggested, maybe he’s a Ben Zobrist type who plays every day, mostly at second but occasionally at third to spell Suarez, and in the outfield. But I think more likely he’s the starting 2B of the future. Which starts today. Play JVM at 2B, Winker / Ervin, Senzel and Aquino in the outfield. Sorry to say it, but I think Scooter’s best Reds days are now behind him. Free JVM – at second base.
The Pirates have consistently thrown at opposing batters and continually get away with it. When Archer hit Dietrich he got a 5 game suspension and all the Pirates did was move his start back a day. Bell is right, Hurdle is the main culprit or he has no control over his team. I personally believe the first. The evidence is there over several seasons, if MLb wants to stop this they can. If the umpire want to stop it they can. If not them the individual teams need to step up and stop it.
Honestly, I think they should just go for round 2 today. Beginning of the game just the whole team rushes the Pirates dugout. No HBP, no bull, just action. Accept the consequences with the message being that if the league won’t defend batters against Hurdle’s blatant head-hunting, this sort of thing is going to happen. Yeah, it’s Bush League but it’s more fair and more straightforward than HBP quid pro quo games.
I can’t look at Puig without thinking he should have played ? Rugby. Fast, strong, big, coordinated, and fearless – that’s a hard combo to stop.
Make sure you check out the Jomboy Media video breakdown on YouTube for the fight from last night. I think it’s hilarious.